Ray’s for Today

If you want to be sure that you are covering good, solid math, Ray½s for Today puts the methodology and content of Rays Arithmetic into a format for todays homeschool families. Ray½s for Today doesnt look anything like the little brown, hardcover books of Ray½s Arithmetic, but almost all the problems from the original texts are included. Rays employs a concrete, to pictorial, to conceptual presentation of math, progressively builds on basic math concepts, and provides good mental and oral math opportunities. For those frustrated with the new math programs that are on the market today, Ray½s for Today offers them a solution.

The original Rays was used in a group setting, so the textbooks didnt include the teaching information; it was intended for the teacher to present the information, but Rays for Today has added the lesson/teaching information right in the Student Text. There are 170 lessons in each of Level 1 and Level 2 of this series. Both the Student Text and Instructors Manual are 3-hole punched for you to place them in your own binders.

The Student Text is easy to use and students are provided space on each page to work lesson instruction is presented, examples, then an exercise. Books are printed in black and white with no fancy graphics or pictures. The only illustrations you see are associated to the lesson or exercises.

The Instructors Manual explains how the program works, your role as a parent/teacher, list of suggested manipulatives, and how to assess. You can use the suggested manipulatives or household items, which are: more than 100 counters, chalkboard/whiteboard or blank paper (your choice), jumbo-sized craft sticks, rubber bands, handwriting practice pads (optional), 12-month calendar, 100 pennies, 10 dimes, 4 quarters, 2 half dollars, one dollar bill, crayons, 2-4 treats to sell, 5 game markers, paperclip, various sized toys, plastic glasses, plastic fork, measuring cups, empty gallon jug, funnel, various templates found at the back of the Instructors Manual. These are some of the items used in both Levels 1 and 2, but a few other items are listed at the beginning of each unit. There are no formal assessments, but there are suggestions to help you out. Cement Mixers are oral drills that are found at the beginning of each unit (three units in Level 1 and five units in Level 2). These are used to cement the facts into the minds of young learners. Each unit begins with an overview, suggested schedule, background, goals, materials list, and extension activities. Each lesson within the unit includes materials needed and step-by-step instruction for teaching the concept very easy to follow. The appendix includes scope and sequence for that level, end-of-year benchmark checklist, summer skills review, cement mixers checklist, templates to be copied for the lessons, and answer key.

Rays Arithmetic isnt one level per grade, and neither is Rays for Today. You can begin Level 1 at grade one or two and progress from there. Level 1 includes reading, writing, and counting through 100, shapes, one more, one less, grouping by ten, calendar, addition with up to three numbers, number bonds, story problems, money, time, temperature, and length. Level 2 includes reading, writing, counting, and conceptually understanding numbers through 1,000, multiplication of numbers with products up to 100 and dividing numbers with dividends up to 100, division fact families 1-10, place value to thousands, graphs, weight, capacity, shapes, story problems, perimeter, and skip counting by 10s and 100s.

Levels 1 and 2 are the only two levels of this eight-level program that are available at this writing. Levels 3 and 4 should be available later in 2017, Levels 5 and 6 in 2018, and Levels 7 and 8 in 2019.

If you want that old school feel to your math program, straight-forward and uncomplicated give Rays for Today a try. Its easier to use than the original Rays Arithmetic, but gives that same solid math foundation as the original.